Leading the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030: A Multi-Partner Trust Fund to Mobilize Global Action

State of implementation/results

• The UN Decade is in its implementation phase. To raise the profile of initiatives that are already successfully restoring ecosystems and share their insights, the UN Decade recognises 17 Flagship initiatives, the World Restoration Flagships. Together, these 17 initiatives strive to restore more than 100 million hectares, creating over 5 million green jobs. They are characterised by their innovative ideas, their long-standing experience in the restoration of ecosystems and their use of a broad network of project participants.
• Five Task Forces of Best Practices, Finance, Monitoring, Science, and Youth have been established. The Science and Best Practices Task Forces are leading the inclusive and transparent assessment processes for the selection of World Restoration Flagships.
• The media campaign for the seven new UN World Restoration Flagships (WRF) resulted in 567 articles published in 510 media outlets across 64 countries in 14 languages. Highlights include a CNN Op-Ed penned by UNEP Advocate, actor, and Flagship supporter Jason Momoa, a deep-dive into the Terai Arc Landscape Flagship (Nepal) on Mongabay, a The Guardian Feature article focusing on restoration successes of Flagships in Africa, along with articles in locally important outlets such as L’Economist Maghrebine or Pakistan Press International. The estimated combined reach of all outlets is at over 1 billion readers.
• Notable communication and advocacy was the involvement at UNFCCC COP28, an official Restoration Day co-organized with the UAE COP Presidency, as well as an investor workshop.
• The network of partners grown to more than 250 partners pledging support and contributions, with new partners being established continuously.
• The planning for a new Flagship business enhancement group under the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration Advisory Board has been started to develop investment strategies to upscale the work of the flagships.
• Challenge 5.1 of the Action Plan, co-led by International Land Coalition and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, is starting to secure the rights and recognize Indigenous Peoples and local communities as stewards of ecosystem restoration, as well as to build and promote a movement of community-led restoration.
• In September 2023, the UN Decade Advisory Board met for the first time in Darwin, Australia, alongside the Society on Ecological Restoration Conference.
• The metadata for the headline indicator, area under restoration for tracking progress on Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework has been updated and is being finalized with the Ad hoc Technical Expert Group of the CBD.
• The FERM is being developed as the monitoring platform for reporting on Target 2 of the GBF, integrating the parameters of the metadata into the FERM Registry and working with other platforms and frameworks on data interoperability, mapping parameters collected on restoration areas to make restoration reporting more consistent and transparent by improving alignment and consistency between platforms such as FERM, Restor, Restoration Barometer, PRAIS, FRA, Nature Commitments etc. The FERM search engine of good restoration practices launched in June 2023.
• 63 new members joined the Monitoring Task Force in 2023, making the total number 407, representing 120+ organizations. Two full task force meetings were conveyed in 2023. In addition, a workshop co-organized by FAO and CBD was held in Rome in November 2023.

Latest Update:
09/2024

Further links

• Website: UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration